Person:Catherine Braught (1)

See her picture on file, courtesy of Mrs. Janice Reddin (note striking facial similarities between her and her descendents Helen Braught Glasgow and Nancy Braught Burton). See notes of husband Thomas. Methodist. She was 19yrs. younger than Thos. Moved from PA to Hancock Co. OH in 1848 with Thos. See Daniel Braught journal. She was rugged: reared all 7 kids and farmed many acres while Thos. often gone (privateer?), including to New Orleans, etc.. Dr. D.W. Reddin notes (copy of original letter provided by Ruby Driskell) of family show Catherine (Kate) died Feb.4, 1897 at Hancock Co., OH. She originally met Reddin while he was docked in Philadelphia where she worked as a milliner. They married in the County Squire office at Halifax Twp., Dauphin Co., PA. and went to New Orleans for some of his business. She soon took a Mississippi river boat from New Orleans to Cincinnati, OH; transferred to a Miami-Erie boat to Delphos and walked from Delphos ( when about 8 months pregnant) to Gilboa, Blanchard Twsp, Putnam Co., OH to stay with her sister Mary and her husband Jos. Oren (they had moved there from Halifax Twsp, Dauphin Co., PA in 1840). Thos. came to Gilboa for the child's birth in March 1848 and purchased a farm in the adjacent Blanchard Twsp. of Hancock Co. That farm was steadily and greatly enlarged over years. Thos., specialized in painting church interiors (he said) which took him away from home much. Other records suggest that he did more than paint away from home and may have even been a part-time pirate to raise the money used to expand that farm considerably. Janis Reddin's report includes information that her farm was across the road from a David Braucht who was too old to have been her brother, but somehow related, and she cared for him in his old age despite his second wife's presence (perhaps she was not so fond of the second wife). Brauchts and Orens both reported that a Samuel Braucht purchased 700 acres in the area in 1832, but Reddin was not certain of his relationship to Catherine. Reddin reported that Catherine was born Apr. 17, 1828 to Adam and Rebecca (Imboden) near Halifax, Dauphin Co., PA. She was the 8th of 11 children. Some called Rebecca Imboden by the name of Rebecca McAllister (her step-father). Janis Reddin records provided confirmations on the following: Catherine's mother, Rebecca, was born 12 Jan.1793 in Berks Co., PA and died Jan 23, 1879 in Warren Co., IA. After Thos. died Sep. 10, 1877 of typhoid fever at his home, his funeral was held in the Benton Ridge Methodist Church (he was earlier a Catholic) with services lead by Elder J.V. Updyke, a minister of the Church of God in Findlay. Catherine boarded the school teacher and had sons work for neighboring farmers. She died 4 Feb.1897 and was buried beside Thos. in Benton Ridge Cem. Thos. and Catherine had 7 children; all born in Hancock Co., except the oldest (Thos. Jr.) born in Putnam Co. See notes under each child for added details from Janis Reddin records. Among the 7 children were 1 farmer, 2 physicians, 3 teachers, and 1 traveling salesman. See Oren family notes also as the Reddin and Oren families were particularly close.

1. ↑ Benton Ridge Cem., Hancock Co., OH